A Withering Iris
by bucketoftea
Summary: Lily and Petunia used to be the best of friends, but something happened that changed that forever. A series of exchanged letters exploring the undoing of a friendship. A collaborative project by floss bucket and blackteaplease.
1. Chapter 1

**To the amazing people who have decided to read this fic, you are all awesome and thank you. First off there is two authors, Flossbucket who wrote this chapter and will be writing as Lily and myself blackteaplease who will be writing as Petunia, and we go by the name bucket of tea. This fic will be letters sent between the girls starting on Lily's first day at Hogwarts.**

**And personally I think Flossy did an awesome job of this chapter, you will be able to read her author note at the bottom, as I am betaing this chapter and will be posting it. Remember to review because we love you all :) **

Dear Tuney,

I'm so sorry about reading that letter Professor Dumbledore sent you – I know I shouldn't have done it and I feel so guilty. I don't want to be going away with you hating me, you're my sister! I'm sure you'll have a great time at St Teresa's though; you'll probably enjoy it much more than Hogwarts! I do wish we could have gone to school together, it would have been just like when we were little, best friends. I know you're going to make so many friends though and I hope I will too!

I'm writing this from my dorm room at the top of a tower. Hogwarts is a huge castle, and the students get to sleep in towers! At least, the Gryffindors do, I don't know about the other houses. There are four houses – Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw and Huffelpuff. I think they're named after the Founders of the school, or at least that's what the hat said.

You should have seen the hat, Tuney! It was black and looked like a witch's hat. I thought it was pretty boring until it opened its mouth (yes, its mouth!) and started singing! Apparently the Founders used to decide who went in what house based on what sort of person they were (Gryffindor brave, Slytherin ambitious and cunning, Ravenclaw wise and Huffelpuff loyal, I think) but they obviously couldn't keep doing that when they died. So Gryffindor did some spell on his hat so it could decide what house the first years should go in!

We all had to go up the front of the hall, in front of _all_ the other students and sit on the stool with the hat on our heads. When I went up there, the hat talked to me! It said something about me being smart and ambitious, but brave and honourable above anything. I'm not sure if it was right – I didn't feel very brave being up there in front of everyone! Most of the Gryffindors seem very nice, except for two awful boys I met on the train on the way here. They seemed to think that they were better than everyone else, for some reason. One of them, Potter, was especially horrible and not even good looking like the other, Black! He was small and skinny and wore glasses and looked like he'd never used a hairbrush in his life! _And_ he was rude to Sev on the train, and only because Sev wanted to be in Slytherin like his mother!

Sev did get into Slytherin, just like he wanted. He looked almost angry when I got sorted into Gryffindor, and I had no idea why! I mean, it's not like I had any choice in the matter! I asked one of the Prefects about Slytherin and she told me that they all turned into dark wizards and hated anyone who wasn't 'pure-blooded', which I think means they're from magical families. I know Sev's not like that at all, and that either the Prefect was wrong, or Sev didn't belong there. I'm going to keep being his friend though; I wouldn't let anything like Houses stop us!

I have made a few other friends though. The girl's in my dorm are very nice to me. Their names are Charlotte, Annabel and Maris. Charlotte and Annabel are halfbloods (one magical, one non-magical parent) and Maris is a pureblood, but she doesn't seem to think it makes her any better than anyone else. They've all tried to explain how everything works to me, but it's very late and is not making much sense.

I have my first lesson tomorrow at 9 am, and I really can't wait! It will be so exciting to finally learn magic properly! I bet all the other wizard kids have been learning for ages though, so I'm probably going to be the worst in the class.

I have to go now Tuney, or I won't be able to wake up tomorrow, you know how I am with getting up! I will write to you very soon and tell you all about my lessons and the castle so you don't miss out on anything! I hope you have an absolutely wonderful time at St Teresa's, and please tell me _everything_ about it!

Your loving sister,

Lily

Xoxo

**So this is the first chapter of the fic blackteaplease and I (floss bucket) are writing together. I'm not sure how regular the updates will be, as we are betaing each other's chapters. I'm going to be writing everything from Lily's point of view, and she's going to be writing Petunia! So please review and then go read and review our individual stories! (Link on the profile page) I've written a lot of Harry Potter fics, mainly about the Marauders, and also quite a few Merlin ones. Blackteaplease is more into anime, but she has done a Merlin one too :P So please go and check out both of our profiles, but don't forget to keep reading this one!**


	2. Chapter 2

**So this is chapter 2 of our fic, written by blackteaplease and betaed by floss bucket! We hope we've managed to get the characterisation of Petunia right – she is much more complicated than Lily, and will evolve a lot over the course of this fic. The next chapter will probably be up in about a week – I have a weekend without internet coming up :( but that means I'll get lots of writing done**

**So now you can go and read this fic, and please review at the end! Xox fb**

Lily,

It is good to hear you are enjoying it there but if you had come to St Teresa's with me you would be learning to be a lady and preparing to be a good wife not a witch. Just remember you are an Evans and belong to us before them, you must learn to be a lady, I don't want to think of what kind of manners you are learning at that school.

St. Teresa's is a fine boarding school for young ladies with modern architecture and the loveliest gardens. My dorm is on the second floor and over look the herbal garden which we use during cooking classes (according to Veronica). I share a room with Veronica and Melody. Both are not very bright or rich, Veronica is quite fat with horrible hair, it's bright red and curly (nothing like your lovely hair), she will never find a husband with her looks. Melody is very plain looking, mousy hair and is shy, I think she is a lesbian, she looks at me strangely. So far these are the only two people I have met for it is my first night and we have not started classes yet, but there is another girl who is new who I will meet tomorrow. I am not sure about the house system here but tomorrow I have a meeting with the headmistress of the school, I bet that Professor Dumbledore doesn't greet all his new students.

I can't believe you are still socialising with _him_. He has corrupted you and now you are off to that freaky school and will never be normal because of him. I don't understand why you like him, even people at your school think he is no good, that talking hat agrees, not that I would believe a talking hat but I have met him and he is not a good person. I will never forgive him for changing you into a freak just because he liked you, or for going through my things. If you know what is good for you, you will ignore him and move on from him and never speak of him again.

At least your start time is normal, it is probably the only normal aspect of your school. I received my timetable today and I start tomorrow. By now you will have been at that school for one week, I don't know why you started one week earlier, must be some weird tradition your kind have. What kind of classes will you be studying? I am studying English Literature, History, Art, Religion, Mathematics, Home Economics, Sport, French, Etiquette and Gardening, probably more interesting than your classes.

I have to go now, I must met with the headmistress before classes begin tomorrow. I know I am behind with studying because the state school we attended was inadequate for ladies training. Thank you for sending the letter the normal way and not their way.

Regards,

Petunia Evans

**CHANNELING POOR HARD DONE BY 13 YEAR OLD PETUNIA (and failing!)  
Hope this chapter isnt too bad! I try to make Petunia stuck up, thinking she is above everyone else which we start to see when Lily gets friendly with Snape. But I also want her to have some interest in Hogwarts, asking about classes but also insulting the school making it seem like she doesn't care about the school. But she still loves her little sister and believes she can be helped.  
Don't you just hate older sisters? (you better not! we are both older sisters and we are awesome!)  
thank you for reading and now review :)**


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